All Chapters of The Seven Days That Set Me Free: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

10 Chapters

Chapter 1

After I left the house, Ethan didn't come after me.Behind me, our friends were still egging him on."Ivy's really stepping up her game this year.""Ethan, don't give in too soon."Ethan chuckled. "She can't let go of me. Give her three days. She'll come back on her own."That night, he started another bet in the group chat and put down 30,000 dollars that I wouldn't last 72 hours.To make sure I gave in first, he added Samantha's fingerprint to the door lock and gave her the spare house key that had always been mine.Wearing my slippers, Samantha posted a photo of the key beside her breakfast in the group chat."Day One as Mrs. Glenn."Our friends immediately chimed in."Take the master bedroom tonight.""And if you're Mrs. Glenn now, shouldn't you get to wear her nightgown too?"Ethan didn't stop them. He even told Samantha, "Her nightgown's on the second shelf in the walk-in closet."I saw the message while unpacking at the small place Mom and Dad had left me. No one ha

Chapter 2

On the third day of Samantha's turn as "Mrs. Glenn," the Glenn family had a dinner.Ethan's mother, Roberta Brummer, sent me the address and told me to bring the antique bracelet that was passed down to the Glenn daughters-in-law.She had put it on my wrist herself when Ethan and I got married.Roberta had never approved of me. If Ethan hadn't insisted on marrying me, she never would've given me that bracelet.I still remembered the first time I met his family at Glenn Manor. Right there at the dinner table, Roberta said I came from an ordinary family and wasn't good enough for theirs.Ethan took my hand and said firmly, "She's the woman I love. No one else gets to decide who I marry."Thinking about it now, the whole thing felt like a joke.I tightened my grip on the box holding the bracelet. Since I was going there anyway, I might as well give it back for good.By the time I got to Glenn Manor, Samantha was already sitting in my usual seat.There wasn't even a place set for

Chapter 3

The same night I left the Glenn family group chat, I submitted my resignation from Ethan's company.I'd been there from the beginning, meeting clients with him and pulling all-nighters over proposals. During the hardest months, we practically lived at the office.The first time the company turned a profit, Ethan told everyone, "Ivy isn't just my wife. She's the partner who got me through the hardest years."Now he treated my resignation like another part of the game.He approved it with a single message. "Approved. Come back when you're done making a scene."Day five of Samantha's turn as "Mrs. Glenn" was also the company anniversary and my last day there.I went in to return my access badge and hand off my projects. An anniversary video was playing in the lobby, but my name was gone, along with every photo of me from the early days.There was nothing showing me packing orders in the warehouse, drinking with clients until my stomach bled, or staying up all night working on propo

Chapter 4

On the last day of Samantha's turn as "Mrs. Glenn," Ethan told me to come home.He said the seven days were over. He'd give me back the key, the bracelet, and my resignation papers himself. It was also time we dealt with our marriage.Before I pushed the door open, I could see the living room through the gap. It was set up just like it was every year when Ethan called the game over. The champagne, cake, and confetti were all there.The walls were covered with photos of me breaking down over the past three years. Under each one were bets on how long it would take me to cave once I saw the divorce agreement.Samantha was still on the couch in my nightgown, with Ethan sitting beside her.Before I even walked in, someone started teasing them."You two are obviously into each other. Ivy's not here yet, so why not enjoy some time alone?""Exactly. She always gives in once she's done making a scene. You two can stop pretending already. I saw both of you coming out of a hotel on the 16t

Chapter 5

The countdown stopped at one.The person filming forgot to lower the phone, so the camera kept pointing at me. Just like every year before, they were waiting for me to break down and cry so they could say it proved how much I loved Ethan.But this time, I just capped the pen and slid the divorce agreement back across the table.Ethan's smile slowly disappeared. He flipped to the last page, saw my signature, and his expression hardened."Ivy, do you even know what you just signed?""I do.""This isn't like those fake agreements from before. The asset split is real. The property terms are real. The lawyer signed off on it."I nodded. "That's exactly why I signed it."Someone finally snapped out of it and gave an awkward laugh, trying to smooth things over."Ivy's really selling it this year.""Ethan, just end the game already. Keep this up, and you're really going to hurt your marriage.""Exactly. It was only seven days. We were just messing around."They called that messing

Chapter 6

Ethan showed up at the courthouse at 9:00 am sharp, wearing the black coat I'd bought him and holding my wedding ring.He looked calm when he saw me. "Did you sleep well?"He said it like we'd only had a minor argument.I didn't answer. I took a number and waited for our turn.When the clerk asked if we both wanted the divorce, Ethan just looked at me. The clerk had to ask again before he finally let out a quiet laugh."Yes," he said.Ethan signed the paperwork without hesitation. "You've got 30 days, Ivy. Think it over. If you don't show up when the waiting period ends, then the game's over."I tucked the confirmation slip away. "I'll be here."For the next 30 days, Ethan never apologized. He just kept posting updates in the group chat."Day one: She hasn't come back.""Day five: Her resignation went through.""Day ten: She moved the rest of her things out."His friends joked about it at first. Some said I'd been mad long enough, while others told Ethan to send flowers and

Chapter 7

Samantha had only sprained her ankle.By the time Ethan got to the hospital, she'd already had X-rays. Nothing was broken, and the doctor said she just needed to rest for a few days.Her eyes were still red when she reached for his hand. "Did you delay the divorce because of me?"Ethan was quiet for a long moment. Then he put the divorce decree in front of her.Samantha froze, but she couldn't hide the hope in her eyes."So you're really free now. Ethan, be honest. During those seven days, did you ever really think of me as your wife?"Ethan didn't answer.Then he thought about the past 30 days. I hadn't cried once, and I hadn't looked back. For the first time, it hit him that I might really be done with him.He left Samantha with a nurse and went home alone.The house was strangely quiet. My side of the closet was empty, my skincare was gone from the vanity, and even the cups and dishes I always used were gone from the kitchen.The slippers I'd worn around the house for seve

Chapter 8

Ethan waited outside my office building for three hours. By the time I got off work, his face had gone pale from the night wind.As soon as he saw me, he walked over quickly. "Ivy, we need to talk.""I'm off work, Mr. Glenn. We have no work to discuss."He stopped at "Mr. Glenn." In seven years, I'd never called him that before.Ethan stepped in front of me and held out a packet.It was a revised company history booklet. My name was back under "Co-Founder," along with an offer of company shares and a contract to rehire me."The company needs you."Then he lowered his voice. "I need you too."I didn't take it."If the company needs someone, hire someone else. And whatever you need, figure it out yourself."He'd said those same words to me more times than I could count. Now that I was saying them back to him, his face went white."I know I was wrong. I took your love for granted. My parents' marriage was always a mess, and I grew up thinking feelings could change at any time.

Chapter 9

After Ethan's public statement came out, videos from the company anniversary party started spreading online.People noticed Samantha wearing the Glenn family bracelet and standing onstage as "Mrs. Glenn."Then people started digging up everything from the past three years. The bets, the videos they'd recorded without me knowing, and all the times they'd egged Ethan on were suddenly out there for everyone to see.It didn't take long for the whole thing to blow up online.Some people accused Samantha of interfering in someone else's marriage. Others asked why Ethan had to hurt me just to prove I loved him.The friends who had joined in on the bets started deleting their posts.Some even messaged me privately, asking me to explain that we were all close, they'd only been joking, and they never meant to hurt anyone.I didn't respond.Whether they meant any harm wasn't for them to decide after they were the ones who hurt me.Samantha posted a long statement too.She said she'd onl

Chapter 10

Two years later, my team and I opened our own studio.There was no red carpet or elaborate ceremony. My coworkers bought a cake and celebrated with me in the conference room.The cake read, "Ivy, welcome back to your own life."I stared at the words for a long moment, then smiled and blew out the candles.Every so often, Ethan would have someone send me something.The first year, he sent me the company history booklet with all my photos restored. The second year, he sent the design sketches I'd left in the home we used to share.This year, all he sent was a card."Happy anniversary."He had crossed it out and written underneath, "Sorry. I forgot we don't have an anniversary anymore."I put the card back in the envelope and sent it straight back.Later, I heard through people we both knew that Ethan and Samantha never got together.Samantha left the city, and the friends who had taken part in the bets every year eventually drifted apart.Ethan kept the house we used to share

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